"The Little Star Dweller" by Yoshitomo Nara

Japanese art wizard, Yoshitomo Nara, opened his new show at the Marianne Boesky Gallery this past Saturday night with a colorful cacophony that reverberated from the walls right into crowd (which included the wandering and seemingly undetected artist KAWS - thanks, CBS Sunday Morning). Viewing the artwork itself--a collection of new drawings on envelopes, large-scale paintings, and two massive tannenbaum sculptures that felt like they belonged in a more sophisticated Smurf village--meant that you had to tap and rub numerous shoulders for a glimpse. With vanishing buckets of beer, a trio of toddlers in tutus, and live music provided by DJ OORUTAICHI and the hyperkinetic Japanese girl duo M.A.G.O., the energy in the various rooms exploded with a kooky rainbow fantastic-ness. Here's hoping it's even more magically raucous at his solo exhibition at the Asia Society in 2010.

I've been a fan of Nara's since discovering his artwork on the cover of Shonen Knife's 1998 album Happy Hour. Mr. H and I trekked from Harajuku to Aoyama last year just to have a bite at the A to Z Cafe, a cozy Tokyo eatery Nara designed with graf media. While I've yet to come up with the funds to afford one of his tinier drawings, I ended up receiving something to hold on to for now directly from the man himself...

More from the gallery show:

DJ OORUTAICHI conjuring some digital magic:

A to Z Cafe...ah, deliciousness!

The "home" within a home at A to Z:

Milky green tea:

Cream cake:

Interior of A to Z's "home studio":

My partner in crime, "Mr. H", just returned from a wild adventure in the trenches of glittery Hollywood. Lucky for me, he brought gifts back with him. Here are some new additions to our cabinet of curiosities courtesy of the always awesome LA stores, Time Travel Mart, Family and Ooga Booga.

A vintage book:

Mono Kultur magazine featuring Miranda July:

Back of Mono Kultur:

A book Jen recommended:

Here and There magazine:

Cosmic Wonder Free Press:

And some vinyl for the ol' collection:

Ah, The Sads. So fantastic!

This album from The Sads is designed by Mike Mills:

I plan to sit cross-legged on the floor to feed my brain and ears with these West Coast delights. Mr. H may have gone on an intergalactic flashbulb ride with James Bond and Princess Leia's mom, but I'm gonna come out of the sticks with new tunes to hum and new quotes to strum.

"Glad you're back. Next time, I'm a comin'."

I've used the word random sparsely in conversation for the past few years. Lately, I find I'm using it a lot more.

"THAT was random."

"Look, it's 5:55. Random."

"I'm making a random band with a random album name and random cover on Facebook." (an answer to "What are you doing right now?")

Also, "Everything just feels so random right now."

That last one sums it all up. Maybe it's the lingering winter--the current climate so to speak--or maybe it's my age, but randomness has always fueled me and lately it has me all confused. This could be because I'm indoors all of the time. Either way, I'm randomly thinking about randomness right now. Here are 10 random things:

1. Keys open doors; ___ unlock ideas.
2. Are metal lunchboxes really going to be worth something someday?
3. Beetles under glass.
4. If the Mayans are right, the world will end in 2012.
5. Umbrellas, socks, and mittens have wanderlust.
6. Where do you go in New York City when you want to scream at the top of your lungs?
7. Bare feet on polished concrete, a ginger ale on ice, sunlight through an open window.
8. Focus means focusing, sometimes on the random.
9. Turkey or eagle?
10. Exercise in any form - either for the body or the brain - is always good.

As per usual, Marc Jacobs trumps all with his super-fun, neu-wave, hyper-eighties slash fest of ribboned dresses, tuck n' tapered trousers, and pseudo-kilts. The man can do no wrong. He's the only designer that has any fun during New York Fashion Week (with the exception of Betsey Johnson's whimsy and Vena Cava's lovely tableaus). Marc is the one we all wait for, and he's the one that never disappoints. At this point, I've completely overlooked the fact that he never made eye-contact with me all of those years when I made sure the kitchen had enough of his favorite chocolate pudding in stock. But that's another story for another day. Today, cheers to you Mr. Jacobs! You Stinky Rat, you.

Here's what I want to wear come fall (still debating on whether to attempt the Flock hair...could be fun!):

My friend India just sent me this Ebay link pleading for someone to please spend their life savings on a phone number. It's one of the last working U.S. telephone numbers with the digits 867-5309 made famous by Tommy Tutuone's 1982 hit "Jenny". Allegedly, the digits originally belonged to a girl named Jenny who gave them to lead singer Tommy Heath to pass along to his lead guitarist, Jim Keller. Heath wrote the number on a bathroom wall, and Keller penned the song.

What's up for grabs here folks is a chance to own a legendary prank phone number that works anywhere in the U.S. and receives 8,000 - 10,000 calls per year. It's currently up for bid at $365,700.

What's the delay, Recessionistas? Break out your wallets!

It was a rather odd year for film in 2008. I didn't really look forward to seeing anything other than the three films that ended up being my favorites: Reprise, Let the Right One In, and The Wrestler. I have high hopes for 2009, though. I feel like there are sunnier days ahead. Less nuns, fewer Nazis. I can safely say that my suspicions may prove correct after watching the new trailer for Sundance darling (500) Days of Summer. Man, I can't wait to see this movie! The festival bloggers were in a tizzy over this flick about unrequited love starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. It's been described as everything from "perfect" to the next Annie Hall. Judging by the trailer, it appears that prolific music video and commercial director Marc Webb is giving us something new here (and in my opinion zee cinema is in need of some serious shaking up), with sweeping visuals and Billy Wilder-esque charm.

Old school? New school? Possibly a little of both with lovely technicolor, covetable costumery, and a hip backing track that subtlety supports what appear to be elaborate musical numbers. This looks exactly like the film we're all craving to see.

R.I.P. Domino magazine

First they killed Sassy. Then Jane. Then there were the random assassinations of Budget Living and Blueprint. Now? Domino magazine was just given last rites. What is going ON here, Magazine Industry? Please don't say it's "the economic market." I just feel like you're not giving the right publications a chance in the right way. Wake up and smell the Dawn of Dot Com.

Let's think about this for a minute. There are no shelter magazines for the younger demographic (see above for all of the ones killed off). Yes, there's the DIY ReadyMade magazine, but that's more craft oriented. House Beautiful and Elle Decor are geared towards an older demographic (and, frankly, those with more money). Domino spoke to those of us on a budget while still appealing to the high-end reader. More than any of the other shelter mags (with the exception of the UK pubs Elle Decoration and Living Etc.), it focused on providing inspiring ideas to a wide audience and actually looked like it was having fun while doing it.

[Side note: Why are all of the fun magazines the ones that get shut down?]

Isn't the Domino demographic the very one making home decor and interior design blogs a big deal right now? If you want to cut costs, then go digital like Missbehave magazine just did. They have the right idea! With fantastic home decor blogs like Design*Sponge, Apartment Therapy, and The Selby becoming daily reads for many of us, why not capitalize on THAT and go digital? Why not strike up partnerships with other blogs and help each other out? Why not make more well-known bloggers writers for your corporate-backed website? Perhaps bring already strong blog readerships to your already strong print readership? This sounds like common sense to me, and in this "economic market" it will help the staffers of Domino retain their jobs while also bringing your company to the forefront of the rapidly advancing onset of an online media age.

Face it: digital media is the direction we're moving in. PERIOD. Why not get ahead of the curve and start focusing more energy on that? You can get all of your fancy ads on a website easily. Better yet, you can rotate them at a faster rate (Style.com seems to do this effectively and it's a popular website already stabled in your coterie). I just don't think killing a publication that brings joy to so many readers, especially in these depressing times, is the answer. I think changing the way you think is.

That is all. I'm really upset.

(Courtesy of A Shaded View on Fashion)

As a long-time fan of Isabel Toledo, it was a true delight to see Michelle Obama wearing one of her dresses this morning. Isabel and Ruben Toledo (or the "Bolero Duo" as I like to call them as they remind me of a sharp, red waistcoat trimmed in elegant black brocade) are two of New York City's most enigmatic artists. He paints; she makes clothes. They fell in love in high school and are continually each other's muses. With impeccable style and eccentric glamour, they create art that intertwines with their lives.

Then there's their home loft/atelier. In a word it's a dream. I saw their apartment in both New York magazine and the Woody Allen film Melinda and Melinda and fell in love with them all over again. What an amazing space!

So on this wonderful, celebratory day, I want to extend a hearty congratulations to Isabel Toledo. I hope she finally gets the world-wide recognition she deserves.

"...the beautiful and the feral loved to be admired."

Dear Jefe,

I love your story. Everything about it reminds me of home. Keep writing please.

Also, Empire of the Sun is my favorite movie.

"Tangerine" is my favorite Led Zepplin song.

And this is for you (please excuse the ad beforehand):

Happy Snow Day,

"Amy"

It's wet and gray in Brooklyn this afternoon. I'm staring out my window into various cluttered backyards separated by rickety fences and tall dead trees. There is a big, black dog running up and down the back steps of a distant brownstone and a wayward squirrel on a rooftop who looks lost yet playful. I am listening to the perfect music. It's a band from Sweden called Melpo Mene. They are rain flecked cottage windows, rusty robots, lonely soda shops, black and white striped umbrellas, licorice, pink sunglasses, dancing dolphins, a French beach in 1967, dime store ukuleles, and fading rainbows. They are a beautiful dream.

Check out the whimsically illustrated video for their song "I Adore You" off the full-length Bring the Lions Out:

A modern girl...
A master chef...
A culture clash...

"Begin by putting tears into your broth."

Ladies and gentlemen, here's my pick for Favorite Movie in 2009 (a prediction): The Ramen Girl starring Brittany Murphy and...ramen noodles. Need I say more?

This makes me want to scream. In a good way.

Dear Senor Moz,

When I come to see you this time, I will make sure that I'm closer to the stage. I will also make sure to have my friend Zohra with me again because last time, at the Apollo, we were seated behind these two dudes who couldn't stop talking to each other about what? I don't know, maybe their new duplex in Murray Hill? Anyway, it was totally rude to us and completely rude to you. I mean, why even go to a concert if you're going to carry on a loud conversation the whole time, right? Doesn't that strain your vocal cords? Isn't it kind of a romance killer? Also, after I asked them, politely, to please take a convo breather so I could see the stage as well as you, they said "Sure!" and then kept on talking. At this point, I said to myself, in my head, "Please, please, please, let me, let me, let me, let me get what I want this time."

That, Moz, is when Zohra stepped in. Let me tell you, she was wearing an ink black tank top and a skirt that stopped above her mid-thigh. She was also wearing glossy red stilettos and an "I Will Cut You" face. Well, she'd reached her limit (and my wussy politeness is just not how she rolls), so she grabbed one arm on each guy and very firmly said, "SHUT. UP." And they did. And you were even more awesome from that point forward because I could see you and hear you better. Then, you took your shirt off, and they started talking again.

Can't wait to seeee yooouuu! Also, can I just say bravo on FINALLY playing a show in El Paso? We love you over there.

Your Hatful of Hollow,

A